Rim lock conversion set

ABSTRACT

A SET OF ENCLOSING CONVERSION MEMBERS ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED OVER A CONVENTIONAL RIM LOCK AND KEEPER FOR A DOOR TO CAUSE THE SAME TO HAVE AN APPEARANCE OF AN EXPENSIVE RIM LOCK AND KEEPER SET OF LARGER SIZE THAN THE CONVENTIONAL LOCK AND KEEPER. TO PROVIDE GREATER AESTHETIC VALUE, THE ENCLOSING CONVERSION MEMBERS MAY BE FORMED FROM A MORE ATTRACTIVE MATERIAL THAN CONVENTIONAL IRON AND THE LIKE FROM WHICH CONVENTIONAL RIM LOCKS AND KEEPERS ARE FORMED.

United States Patent [191 Plunkett et al.

RIM LOCK CONVERSION SET Inventors: George B. Plunkett; Patricia M.

Plunkett, R.D. No. 1, Glen Rock, Pa. 17327; Loren H. Kroh; Elizabeth H. Kroh, both of R.D; No. l, Brodbecks, Pa, 17308 1 Filed: Feb. 26, 1973 Appl. No.: 335,685

US. Cl 70/448, 292/337, 292/34l.14 Int. Cl E05b 9/00, EOSb 15/02 Field of Search 70/417, 447, 448, 452, 70/DIG. 34,'DIG. 56, DIG. 81; 292/337, 340, 341.14; D8/127-135 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/1938 Fehr 292/337 May 7,1974

3,580,017 5/1971 Waldo 290/340 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 388,198 2/1933 Great Britain 70/452 447,571 7/1927 Germany 70/448 Primary Examiner-Robert L. Wolfe Attorney, Agent, or FirmC. Hercus Just ABSTRACT A set of enclosing conversion members adapted to be mounted over a conventional rim lock and keeper for a'door to cause the same to have an appearance of an expensive rim lock and keeper set of larger size than the conventional lock and keeper. To provide greater aesthetic value, theenclosing conversion members may be formed from a more attractive material than conventional iron and the like from which conventional rim locks and keepers are formed.

9 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures ll l llllll RIM LOCK CONVERSION SET BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION For many years, relatively common household doors have conventionally been provided with locks comprising a metal housing which is fixed by screws to the innerface of a door, rather than provide the edge of the door with a mortise that required boring and chiselling to provide a recess to receive the lock. Locks of the type which are fixed to the face of the door have long At present, there is a very extensive amount of remodeling and modernizing older homes, due very largely to the high cost of new house construction. Further, particularly in colonial time, when locks were very largely hand made, many. such early locks were rim looks but the size thereof was substantially larger than that of relatively modern rim locks of the type referred to above which were very largely employed in the late Victorian 'era and later in building construction. Many of the earlier, so called colonial type locks were formed by casting a housing from brass and also providing brass keys which were appreciably larger than normal house keys at present. Larger than normal keepers also were provided for such locks, the keepers also being formed from material similar to that from which the housing of the locks were formed. In some incidents, such housing and keepers were formed from wrought iron and were buffed or polished, depending upon the whim of the blacksmith who made them. In other circumstances, the outer surfaces of the housing and keeper were provided with a so called hammered finish comprising a large number of small indentations formed by a rounded end on a hammer.

At present, so-called colonial period locks of the type referred to immediately above'are in considerable demand and are'prestige items. Reproductions thereof also are available but the cost is quite high compared with that of conventional rim locks. For example, by way of comparison, simple rim locks can be purchased at present for. several dollars, whereas reproductions of so called brass colonial type locks may cost as much as 35 or 40 dollars. Such prices are cited for exemplary purposes only. Obviously, original colonial type locks of such larger type are much more expensive than reproductions thereof but nevertheless are quite sought after by restorers of old homes.

During the last 50 or 75 years, there has been considerable activity in the manufacture of ornamental face plates which, in general, have been employed to .enhance the aesthetic nature of doors. These face plates normally are applied to opposite faces of doors in the region of the door-knobs. Normally, such doors have mortised locks through which a knob stem extends for the attachment of hand knobs to opposite ends thereof which extend outwardly from such ornamental face plates. A number of prior patents, primarily design patents, have been granted upon ornamental face plates of the type referred to above. However, little if anything has been done by way of enhancing the appearance of conventional, relatively inexpensive rim locks. One prior US. Pat. No. 3,263,462, to Suroff et al., dated Aug. 2, 1966 was granted in regard to an attachment for a rim lock adapted to prevent opening of the lock by unauthorized personel. This arrangement by no means however is pertinent to the present invention which comprises a lock conversion set attachable to conventional, relatively inexpensive rim locks and keepers, to afford the same with an appearance of prestige type locks and keepers at far less cost than that of reproductions of so called prestige type rim locks and keepers and especially those resembling early colonial type locks and keepers. Details of such lock conversion sets are set forth hereinafter, the general objectives of which are as follows.

SUMMARY OF THE. INVENTION It is the principal object of the present invention to provide at reasonable cost a set of shells resembling in appearance rim locks and keepers of larger size than conventional locks and keepers and formed from aesthetically more pleasing materials than those from which said conventional locks and keepers are formed, said shells being adapted to be applied over and in close conventional rim locks and keepers and be secured to doors and adjacent jambs or trim strips respectively.

It is another object of the invention to provide'such shells with interior spaces which, as desired, either closely receive respectively such conventional rim locks and keepers and are provided with holes alignable with the screw holes in such conventional locks and keepers for the reception of slightly longer screws than the conventional ones to secure both the shells and conventional locks and keepers to said doors and trim strips, where under other circumstances, the shells may be made substantially larger and especially the shell for the conventional rim lock may be made substantially longer horizontally, whereby screw holes are formed in such shell at locations which will permit the screws to extend into doors and trim strips beyond the edges or sidewalls of the conventional rimlock and keeper and thus add additional aesthetic characteristics and prestige to said. shells.

It is a further Object of the invention to provide such shells and especially the shell to be mounted over a conventional rim lock with additional holes adapted to be aligned with the knob bar and the keyhole of the conventional rim lock in order that the latching and locking bolts of the conventional rim lock may be employed and operated in conjunction with the overlieing conversion shell of aesthetic and prestige nature.

Still another object of the invention is to provide the shell to be applied over the conventional rim lock with a flange along the face plate of the shell which is nearest the edge of the door, said flange having openings therein respectively alignable with the latching bolt and locking boltof the conventional rim lock but, if desired, said flange may be omitted, whereby that side of the overlieing conversion shell will be open but, under such circumstances, when the door is closed, either locked or unlocked, said open side will be opposite the keeper and not readily visible so that it willnot detract from the otherwise aesthetic appearance of the conversion lock and keeper shells comprising the present invention.

A still further object of the invention is to provide in the normally top wall of the shell which is to overlie the conventional rim lock an opening alignable with the locking lever which normally projects upward from the top wall of a conventional rim lock in order that said locking lever may remain functional when the conversion shell is connected to said rim lock, said locking lever being for the purpose of locking the knob of the lock against rotation in accordance with conventional practice.

Details of the foregoing objects and of the invention, as well as other objects thereof, are set forth in the following speciflcation and illustrated in the accompanying drawing comprising a part thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a vertical elevation of a conventional door to which a rim lock conversion set embodying the principals of the present invention has been connected to illustrate the overall appearance thereof.

FIG. 2 is a slightly exploded view illustrating in perspective one embodiment of the invention in which the dimensions of the shells comprising the conversion set are of a size which closely'receives' a conventional rim lock and keeper which is illustrated in phantom therein.

' FIG. 3 is a side elevation of another embodiment of rim lock conversion set embodying the principals of the present invention and including shells for the conventional lock and keeper of substantially larger size than the latter and comprising a prestige type of conversion shells.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG/3.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and illustrating a conventional rim lock and keeper over which the shells of the conversion set respectively are indicated in the process of being mounted over said conventional lock and keeper to inclose the same.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional panelled door is shown in vertical elevation. Conventional vertical and horizontal trim strips 12 and 14 are fastened to the door jamb around the sides and top of the door. One edge of the door is supported by hinges-l6 and a lock conversion shell 18 and a keeper conversion shell 20 respectively are connected to the opposite side of the door from the hinged side and the vertical trim strip 12 which is nearest the lock edge of the door 10.

In accordance with the invention, the lock conversion shell 18 is mounted over a conventional rim lock 22 and a conversion keeper shell 20 is mounted over a conventional keeper 24, said conventional rim lockv and keeper being illustrated in FIG. 5 in perspective manher. It is apparent from FIG. 5 also that the lock conversion shell 18 and keeper conversion shell 20 are of adequate size to respectively inclose the conventional rim lock 22 and conventional keeper 24 to provide an aesthetic and prestige type appearance, as illustrated in exemplary manner in FIG. 1.

It will be appreciated all the more from FIGS. 3 and 4 that the embodiment of lock conversion shell 18- shown in said figures is substantially larger than the conventional rim lock 22. However, the shell 18 is provided with a normally top flange 26, ie, said flanges mounted uppermost in use, and corresponding bottom flange 28 shown in FIG. 3. There also is an outermost end flange 30 and, in one embodiment of the invention, there is another end flange 32 which is opposite and parallel to the outermost end flange 30. Said flanges preferably are integral with the outermost face panel of the shell 18.

In accordance with the principles of the invention, the embodiment of the same illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3-5 includes a lock conversion shell 18 which is substantially larger in plan view and also somewhat larger in depth than the conventional rim lock 22, as can be visilized especially from FIGS. 3 and 4. Accordingly, when the shell 18 is mounted over the conventional rim lock 22, the outward appearance of the assembly is of a highly aesthetic and prestige nature, especially when the lock conversion shell 18 is made from polished brass or other equally attractive materials such as by being cast from suitable alloy of a silver color, such as certain aluminum alloys, stainless steel,other appropriate metal alloys, or by being molded from suitable synthetic resins of appropriate color and finish. As a result of this, such conversion shell can be manufactored at relatively low cost, yet provide an appearance resembling that of a much more expensive reproduction, for example, of an early colonial type lock of comparable size. Accordingly, the principle purpose of the present invention is to imitate either an actual or reproduction type prestige lock which normally merchandizes for substantial sums, whereby reconversion or reconditioning of older houses may be undertaken and provide the doors thereof with locks and keepers having the appearance of prestige type locks and keepers but providing the same can be accomplished at relatively low cost.

It also will be understood that the keeper conversion shell 20 will be of comparable size to the lock conversion shell 18, as illustrated in FIGS. 3-5, and also will be formed from similar material as the shell 18 so as to match the same in appearance. Further, the shell 18 is provided in the top flange 26 with an opening 34 through which the locking lever 36 of the conventional rim lock 22 may be engaged for purposes of latching the bolt 38againest movement and thereby augment the function of the normal locking bolt 40. In order that the bolts 38 and 40 may function in accordance with normal operation when the conventional rim lock 22 is covered by the shell 18, the end flange 32 of said shell is provided with additional openings 42 and 44 which respectively permit the outer ends of the bolts 38 and 40 to project therethrough for engagement with an edge of the conventional keeper 24, it being understood that the shells 18 and 20 are solely for aesthetic purposes, whereas the normal function of the conventional rim lock 22 and keeper 24 is not impaired or disturbed, thereby minimizing the cost of producing the desired aesthetic appearance and still maintain normal locking functions of the conventional rim lock 22 and keeper 24.

Further in accordance with the invention, the conversion shell 18 is provided with a hole 46 which is in alignment with the corresponding hole 48 in the conventional rim lock 22 through which the conventional handle shaft, not shown, projects outwardly for the connection of a preferably ornamental knob 50 thereto, said knob being made from materials similar to lock 22. Similarly, the face panel of the shell 18 is provided with a keyhole 52 which is adapted to be aligned with the keyhole 54 of the conventional lock 22, whereby preferably, a larger than conventional size key may be employed to operate the normal locking bolt 40 of the conventional rim lock 22 after the shell 18 has been mounted thereover.

As indicated hereinabove, the conventional rim lock 22 is preferably maintained in its normal operative position uponthe conventional door 10, the same being secured thereto by screws 56. Similarly, the conventional keeper 24 is secured to the trim strip 12 by similar conventional screws 58. In view of the fact that the conversion shells l8 and 20 are both respectively larger in plan view than the conventional rim lock 22 and keeper 24, the shell 18 is provided in the corners thereof with additional holes 56 respectively to receive additional screws 58, and similar additional holes 60 are formed-adjacent opposite ends of the keeper shell 20 for the reception of additional securing screws 62, as clearly shown in FIGS. 3-5. Accordingly, the additional screws 58' and 62 for the shells l8 and 20 are disposed outwardly of the peripheries of the conventional lock 22 and keeper 24. An exemplary larger than normal ornamental type key 64 is shown in phantom in FIG. 4.

Referring to FIG. 2, a slightly different embodiment of the invention from that shown in FIGS. 1 and 3-5 is illustrated. Said embodimentincludes a lock conversion shell 66 and a keeper conversion shell 68. These preferably are formed from material similar to that suggested for the shells l8 and 20 illustrated in the other figures of the drawing, as described hereinabove The principle difference of the embodiment of FIG. 2 over the other embodiment is that the shells 66 and 68 are smaller in size and, in general, conform closely to the outer dimensions of the conventional rim lock 22 and keeper 24 which are illustrated in phantom in FIG. 2. Therefore, the inner surfaces of the side flanges of the shells quite snugly conform to the exterior face and sides of the conventional rim lock 22 and keeper 24 and the depth of the side flanges of shells 66 and 68 are no greater than the thickness of said conventional lock and keeper, whereby shells 66 and 68 are provided with screw-receiving holes 70 which preferably are in close alignment with the screw receiving holes of said conventional rim lock 22 and keeper 24, whereby the original screws for said lock and keeper may be removed and replaced with slightly longer screws in order to commonly secure the combined conventional lock and keeper, with their enclosing, aesthetically appealing shells 66 and 68, respectively to the outer faces of the door and trim strip 12. Further, under such circumstances, the inner surfaces of the outer face panel of each of the shells 66 and 68 substantially abut the corresponding face panels of the conventional lock and keeper to secure the same operatively in place upon the door and trim strip.

Otherwise, as in regard to the embodiment illustrated in detail in FIGS. 3-5, the shell 66 includes an opening 71 through which the locking lever 36 of the conventional lock 22 may be engaged, an opening 72 in the end flange 74 through which the normal latch bolt 38 projects, and an additional opening 76 in end flange 74 through which the normal locking bolt 40 projects. Said bolts 38 and 40 accordingly are engagable with the corresponding rim portions of the outermost panel of the conventional keeper 24 when the door is closed and door locked.

Further, the shell 66 has a hole 78 through which the knob or handle shaft projects for attachment of the preferably ornamental knob 50 thereto. Also, the front face panel of shell 66 is provided with a keyhole 80 which is in alignment with the keyhole of the conventional rim lock 22, whereby either an ornamental or conventional key may be inserted to operate the normal locking bolt 40.

As shown in FIG. 4, the outer face panel of keeper shell 20 will be spaced from the corresponding face of original keeper 24. To mask the space therebetween at the edge nearest the lock which would be visible when the door is open, a narrow flange 63 is formed on said edge of keeper 20 of sufficient width to cover said space. In view of the fact that the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 2 contemplates relatively close conformity of the lock and keeper shells 66 and 68 to the exterior of the original lock and keeper, no such flange is required in that embodiment.

As an additional mechanical feature to strengthen and also facilitate attachement of the lock and keeper shells l8 and 20 to the door and door frame, sleeves 84 may be provided to surround the attaching screws 58 and 58 as shown in FIG. 4. Said sleeves extend between the inner surfaces of said shells and the door and door frame to afford a more firm attachment of said shells. If desired, the sleeves may be cast integrally with said shells and thereby also serve as guides for the screws.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention provides several embodiments of rim lock conversion sets adapted, at relatively low cost, to convert the appearance of conventional, relatively inexpensive rim locks and keepers to have a highly aesthetic and prestige appearance resemblying that of far more expensive, larger sizes of rim locks and keepers similar to original and reproduction'types of so called colonial type rim locks and keepers. Accordingly, as far as lock requirements are concerned, conversion and restoration of the doors of older houses may be undertaken at substantially lower cost than would otherwise be involved if reproductions of authentic early or antique type locks are used. The shells comprising the principal features of the present invention may be attached at small cost, requiring only conventional tools and substantially no cutting or fitting of the same is necessary relative to such installation. No interior mechanism or movable parts of the lock or keeper are required since these are provided by utilizing the conventional locks and keepers, thereby further minimizing the overall cost.

While the invention has been described and illustrated in its several preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the precise details herein illustrated and described since the same may be carried out in other ways falling within the scope of the invention as illustrated and described.

We claim:

l. A rim lock conversion set including members respectively adapted to be applied over and enclose a conventional rim lock and keeper attached normally to the face of a door and adjacent door trim strips, said set comprising a substantially rectangular lock shell comprising an outer face panel having side flanges connected thereto perpendicularly along the normal top and bottom edges and the side edge farthest from the keeper to define a space adequate to enclose a conventional rim lock and formed from material to resemble a relatively expensive type of rim lock, said face panel having holes respectively adapted to receive screws to secure said lock shell to the face of a door over said conventional rim lock and having additional holes therein respectively adapted to be aligned with the knob shaft and keyhole of said conventional rim lock, and a keeper shell formed from material similar to that of said lock shell and having dimensions complementary to and adapted to enclose the face and ends and closed side of a conventional keeper, said keeper shell having holes therein to receive screws to secure the same to a door jamb or trim strip when enclosing a conventional keeper, thereby to provide said conventional rim lock and keeper with an aesthetic appearance of a substantially more expensive prestige type of lock and keeper.

2. The lock conversion set according to claim 1 in which said normally top flange of said lock shell is provided with an opening alignable with the locking lever of a conventional rim lock.

3. The lock conversion set-accroding to claim 1 in 'which the screw-receiving holes in said lock shell and keeper are formed therein at locations in alignment with the screw holes of the conventional rim lock and keeper to be enclosed therein, whereby securing screws longer than the screws for the conventional lock and keeper may be used commonly to secure said shells and conventional lock and keeper respectively to the face of a door and adjacent trim strip, the inner dimensions of said shells also being such as to provide an interior depth no greater than the thickness of said conventional lock and keeper in a direction normal to the door face, whereby when said shells are operatively secured as aforesaid, said conventional lock and keeper will be firmly attached to said door and trim strip in operative position by said shells which enclose the same.

4. The lock conversion set according to claim 1 in which said lock shell is at least appreciably longer than the conventional rim lock it is adapted to enclose, whereby the end portion of said shell which is farthest from the edge of a door when attached thereto extends substantially beyond the corresponding end of said conventional lock, and said end portion of said lock cent the end flange thereon to receive securing screws which are adapted to engage a door outwardly from the corresponding end of a conventional lock to be enclosed by said lock shell.

5. The lock conversion set according to claim 4 in which said keeper shell is longer than the conventional keeper it is adapted to enclose and said shell having holes adjacent opposite ends thereof to receive screws to secure the same to a door trim strip, the distance between said holes being greater than the length of a conventional keeper it is to enclose, and the normal top and bottom flanges of said lock shell being spaced apart a distance similar to the spacing of the opposite ends of said keeper shell and said holes to receive screws in said lock shell nearest the edge of a door to which it is to be attached being spaced apart a greater distance than the top and bottom walls of a conventional lock to be enclosed thereby.

6. The lock conversion set according to claim 5 further including sleeves adapted to extend between and engage the inner surfaces of said lock and keeper shells and the door and door frame surfaces to be engaged by.

said shells, thereby to afford a firm mounting of said shells respectively upon said surfaces.

7. The lock conversion set according to claim 6 in which said sleeves are integral with said inner surfaces of said shells and thereby additionially serve as guides for the screws by which said shells are secured to a door and door frame at the time such attachment is made.

8. The lock conversion set according to claim 1 in which the edge of said outer face panel of said lock shell which is nearest the edge of a door when attached thereto is also provided with a substantially perpendicular flange adapted to closely overlie the corresponding wall of a conventional lock and said flange having openings therein adapted to be aligned respectively with the slideable latch and locking bolts of a conventional lock to be enclosed thereby, whereby said bolts may function normally through said openings.

9. The lock conversion set according to claim 8 in which the edge of the outer face panel of the keeper shell which is nearest the edge of a door frame when attached thereto is provided with a narrow flange extending perpendicularly inward from said outer face panel to close the space between said face panel of said keeper shelland the outer surface of a conventional keeper when overlying the same, thereby adding to the aesthetics of the installation. 

